The health of your truck is highly dependent on the quality of spare parts you can source during their lifetime. Whether you have built your fleet with new or used trucks, the performance of your fleet ultimately comes down to how well you manage and maintain the machines. Here are five key points to getting the best value parts for your fleet.
1. Value Vs. Cost
In the trucking industry, where vehicle failures can cause severe damage to property and fatalities, the quality of your spare parts is paramount. The best value is not usually synonymous with the lowest price. Chasing for the lowest priced parts in the range can end up costing you more if it fails prematurely.
Before buying any parts, make sure you understand the pros and cons of the parts and how to identify a faulty product. This will help you make a proper evaluation whether the product is suited for your fleet.
2. Buying OEM and Aftermarket Parts
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) are companies that construct parts for trucks on behalf of the branded vehicle manufacturer. On the other hand, aftermarket parts are made by alternative parts manufacturers after the truck has been released into the market.
While OEM and Aftermarket parts are designed to match the original parts that came with the truck, some models can perform better than the genuine parts. You may need to study the parts and their specific performance if you are buying them. Incidentally, the OEM and Aftermarket parts are almost always considerably cheaper than the genuine parts.
3. Good Relationship with Suppliers
Human interfaces can be some of the most challenging parts of your supply chain. The man at the counter can make or break a great deal based on how you communicate with him. A good relationship with your suppliers means that they may be willing to go an extra mile to ensure you get a good deal. Moreover, you are more likely to have your parts delivered on time if the supplier likes doing business with you.
4. Vendor Managed Inventory
The next step after developing your working relationship with your supplier is to establish a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) system. The VMI system moves inventory management tasks to your supplier and lets you focus on running your fleet.
According to John Wisdom, the marketing technology manager of Paccar Parts, VMI helps fleet managers to avoid becoming parts collectors with shelves full of unnecessary parts. Since inventory management is central to the vendor’s business, VMI, you can save money, so you only buy the relevant parts when you need them.
5. The internet is your friend
Using the internet to research parts through reviews and testimonials can give you valuable insight into new brands. Moreover, through official truck manufacturer online dealers, you can buy rare parts that you cannot find in your town. Through the internet, you can learn a lot more about your fleet and truck parts. Additionally, you can stay up-to-date with modifications and upgrades that may affect your trucks.
According to multispares.com.au, your success in the Aussie trucking industry requires you to have a solid plan of sourcing quality parts for your trucks at reasonable rates. If you do your due diligence, you can develop a valuable network of suppliers that can give you all the support you need.
